Tres Leches Cake is an authentic Mexican dessert featuring an ultra-light sponge cake soaked in a mixture of evaporated, sweetened condensed, and whole milk, then topped with fresh whipped cream and cinnamon. The signature appeal is its moist, custardy texture and balanced sweetness.
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Separate the eggs into two other mixing bowls.
Add 3/4 cup sugar to the bowl with the egg yolks and mix on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Add 1/3 cup milk and vanilla and stir to combine. Pour the egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir gently just until combined (don't over-mix).
Use electric beaters to beat the egg whites on high speed. As the begin to whip into stiff peaks, gradually mix in the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Fold the stiffly beaten egg whites into the batter gently, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl, until combined.
Pour batter into un-greased pan and smooth it into an even layer. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow cake to cool completely.
Combine the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and whole milk in a small bowl. Once the cake has cooled use a fork to poke holes all over the top of the cake.
Slowly pour the milk mixture over the the top of the cake, making sure to pour near the edges and all around. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour or overnight, to allow it to soak up the milk.
In the meantime, whip the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks. Smooth over the top of the cake. Sprinkle cinnamon on top. Serve with fresh sliced strawberries, if desired. Enjoy!
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Tres Leches does not freeze well due to the milk-soaked texture.
Electric hand mixer or stand mixer · 9x13 inch baking pan (ungreased) · Fork for poking holes
Yes. Assemble the cake, poke holes, pour the milk mixture, and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours. Add whipped cream topping and cinnamon just before serving for best texture.
Poking holes allows the three-milk mixture to absorb evenly throughout the cake, creating the signature moist, custardy crumb rather than a dry cake with soggy top.
Evaporated and sweetened condensed milk are essential to authentic Tres Leches; avoid substituting. You may use whole milk or 2% for the 1/4 cup portion if needed.
Refrigerate at least 1 hour to allow proper milk absorption, though overnight (up to 24 hours) yields the best flavor and texture.
The recipe is designed for a standard 9x13 inch pan. Smaller or larger pans will affect bake time and milk absorption; bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
